Sligo v. Galway - Connacht Final

[magpie seanie]

No, that was the day alright.

Other similar days recently include:

1 - the day we went all the way to feckin Salthill (WHY!?) to watch the minors ankle deep in water before the game was called off

2 - the day in Sligo in 2001 when we'd just bate Mayo and thought we were great and got stuffed 22-4. 14-0 down at half time.

There can be thunder, lightening, tornados, hailstones, snow and an ould earthquake on Sunday for all I care so long as we win (and the pubs don't have to close!).

[Fishead_Sam]

No, that was the day alright.

Other similar days recently include:

1 - the day we went all the way to feckin Salthill (WHY!?) to watch the minors ankle deep in water before the game was called off

2 - the day in Sligo in 2001 when we'd just bate Mayo and thought we were great and got stuffed 22-4. 14-0 down at half time.

There can be thunder, lightening, tornados, hailstones, snow and an ould earthquake on Sunday for all I care so long as we win (and the pubs don't have to close!).

GAA pure stupid putting it up against the World Cup Final when you playing @ a Neutral Venue. I remember that 2001 Mayo team despite winning the League wasn't the greatest in my opinion, the fact we where League Champions & the Mighty Mayo of course may have made ye read too much into beating us.

I remember the year we played ye in the Connacht Final in Dr.Hyde the place was well overcrowed. I have to say despite your comeback, I was strangly confident and not getting nervous like I usually do when a team is coming back at us, I was sh!tting it against Leitrim last year, but that year we played you in the Connacht Final I knew even in the last few minutes we where going to win, maybe thats the way teams feal (esp. Kerry) against us in All-Ireland Finals. I hope ye do win coz I have a small waiger on Sligo to win.

Heading to the match, looking forward to witnessing history!

[SLIGONIAN]

Last year as a leeds fan aswell the championship play off final was on that day. I was at the semi against preston and was working in london for 6 months. I chose to go to salthill instead of cardiff and then it was called off and I had to fly back that evening. Came over the weekend after aswell.
I flew back from London to see that washout in salthill. Not best pleased.The weather was unbelievable.

Demand for tickets I hear is very busy. The town looks well as is all set for the homecoming. .

I reckon with ros minors this game will sold out. I hope all the rossies shout for us aswell.

With regards to team selection if I see marren and gallgher starting well that optimistic feeling will be gone. Sweeney or Egan and mcpartland in from the start. But no way does gallagher or marren justify a starting role. Even mcnamara at CHB id change. But we will all be the wiser tomorrow.

[paddypastit]

The '22-4. 14-0 down at half time' stuffing was in 2000. 2001 and one was the the beginning of the Oddessy, got beaten by the Dubs in Croker conceding 2-2 in the fiorst three and a half minutes of the second half defending the Hill.

Completely out of touch this year and due to long planned and very complicated family arrangements, won't even be able to make it on the day.  (My family remind me that the last Conaught final involving Sligo that I missed was in McHale Park in 1975 which is encouraging.)  It's hard to see Galweay not winning this one, IF they want to but I do have a siource down that way that has an ear and eye in the camp and they're not right yet, although they may still be good enough depeb=nding on how Sligo play.

The way I see it, our style of play will see us get enough ball to win, but there's little historical basis for optimism about our ability to turn that into scores.  If Sean Davey has one of those days when the 6 wides that he got against Rosc go over and Curran suddenly sustaions a scoring streak that he never had before.... then we start to look like we will be there or ther abouts...?

[magpie seanie]

The '22-4. 14-0 down at half time' stuffing was in 2000. 2001 and one was the the beginning of the Oddessy, got beaten by the Dubs in Croker conceding 2-2 in the fiorst three and a half minutes of the second half defending the Hill.

Yes Paddy, you are right. The rain must have rusted the memory banks.

[paddypastit]

Re 2000, my recollection is that Maguire did OK on Joyce that day cionsidering the extent to which we were going backwards!!- it was Donnellan and Finnegan who did most of the damage

[myball22]

Yes funny old game, you never felt Galway were going to lose it but was the margin only a few points in the end.
If memory serves there was a strong wind going into one goal. Sligo won the toss and elected to play against it in
the first half and Galway ran up a lead. Don't think Sligo believed that they could catch that lead, they needed to
play with it, get the lead and then try to hold onto it.

I think Galway got one peno which Savage slotted and should have had a second but ref gave a free out as the
unwritten rule is one peno ok, but not two penos to one team in the same game.

[Fishead_Sam]

myball22

Are you responding to me, coz if you are you have the wrong Connacht Final, coz Im a Mayoman & it was Mayo V Sligo Im talking about in Dr.hyde.

[Mano]

Just saw the team and i think Brehony has got it spot on with regard to personnel. I would say there will be position changes though. Egan and McPartland in for Marren and Gallagher. I'm feeling a little more confident now. Roll on Sunday

[GalwayBayBoy]

Galway team v Sligo

Paul Doherty
Kieran Fitzgerald
Finian Hanley
Damien Burke
Declan Meehan
Diarmuid Blake
Michael Comer
Niall Coleman
Joe Bergin
Nicky Joyce
Ja Fallon
Derek Savage
Cormac Bane
Padraig Joyce
Michael Meehan

Same 15 as against Leitrim.

[GaillimhIarthair]

Same 15 again for Sunday in the Hyde.  I'm sure Sean Armstrong will be very disappointed not to be starting and to a lesser extent Niall Coyne.  Barry Cullinane did very well the last day when sprung late in the game and its very likely that these 3 guys will be seeing action during the course of Sunday's encounter.  Wouldn't at all be surprised to see Army introduced alot sooner if one of the forwars is not cutting it early on.

[magpie seanie]

Pretty happy with our selection. I don't think there's much room for argument at all. Great options within the 15 to change things too as well as a couple of good options on the line. We're set up as good as we can be and I believe Galway will have to play quite well to beat us.

Looking at the Galway team obviously Forde has given them all the chance to redeem themselves after their blip against Leitrim.

[galwayman]

I think it's probably a good call starting the same 15. Agreed that Army will be disappointed after his display off the bench in Carrick.
I'd be of the opinion though that he is the ideal man to come in off the bench. If one of the starting forwards is having an off day he could come on and do damage.Every time I've seen him come on as a sub for Galway he has done well and got a few scores.
I'm assuming the fact that he's a man that can make a big impact off the bench is a big factor in him not starting the next day - some of the other forwards would not make the same impact off the bench as Army invariably does in my opinion.

Does anyone have the minor team for Sunday?

[Teeling Gael]

Delighted also with the changes made by Sligo. Once Egan got fit , he simply had to play but alot of previous managements would not change a winning team. Hopefully unlike our previous 2 Connaught finals we will start playing before the game is essentially over. Am worried about M Meehans size and how we were totally incapable 12 months ago of marking him, and the personnell is the same in our fulback line this year. Ja Fallons huge experience vrs Mc Namara is also a worry. Whilst alot of people have been calling for Martyn and Phillips as the first men on in a defensive crisis , the return to fitness of P Naughton has slipped under the radar and I think he is most suited to marking Meehan if last years performance is revisited. Simply our midfield have to be well on top if we are to win and one of Davey/ Brehony need to be man of the match territory with 4/5 points from play. Curran should have a definite advantage on M Comer and he needs to continue his level of performance from Roscommon.

Alot of things need to go right for Sligo on the day but with the team picked and with a particuliarily sharp management team to make any necessary changes, anythings possible !!

[heineken_on_tap]

Well hopefully it's a good game .........heading along myself to support the Roscommon minors. What ever way I look at this cant see anything else but a Galway win, thought Sligo were very poor enough at stages against us(which says a lot about our performance ). However this is a serious chance for Sligo to win a connaught title and one they really need to take - anytime Mayo and Galway cancel each other out early then it represents the best chance for the likes of Sligo, Ros and Leitrim to take the title..............No one would begrudge Sligo the win but its hard to see.........then football is a funny game! Don't mind who wins but hopefully it's a cracker